Social Medicine Manager

The Social Medicine Manager provides strategic leadership to integrate social determinants of health into APZU’s clinical programs. This role ensures that social medicine is systematically embedded across all departments, programs and service delivery platforms to improve patient outcomes and advance health equity.

The Manager leads the design, implementation and management of integrated social medicine programs that address social determinants of health and improve patient outcomes across community, primary health care and secondary health care across Neno and other APZU-supported districts

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES


Systems Integration of Social Medicine

Leads the integration of social determinants of health across all APZU programs (HIV/TB, NCDs, MCH, Mental Health, PHC), ensuring they are embedded in program design, implementation and evaluation.
Collaborates with clinical and program leads to incorporate social risk screening. referral systems and socioeconomic support into routine care pathways.
Positions social medicine as a core pillar of APZU’s health systems strengthening approach, ensuring alignment with integrated service delivery models.
Strengthens linkages between community, facility and hospital levels to ensure continuity of social medicine across the continuum of care.

Program Design and Management of Social Medicine Systems

Provides strategic and operational oversight of APZU’s social medicine programming, including Social Medicine and livelihood initiatives.
Designs and maintain scalable models for identifying, targeting and supporting vulnerable patients and households across Neno and other districts Ensures social medicine interventions are prioritized based on their impact on treatment adherence, retention, and health outcomes.
Oversees quality implementation to ensure that interventions are responsive, equitable, and adapted to patient and community needs.

Interdisciplinary Leadership and Care Coordination

Facilitates coordinated, team-based care by strengthening collaboration between clinicians, social workers, community health workers and program teams.
Supports integration of social care into multidisciplinary case management, particularly for high-risk and complex patients.
Builds awareness and capacity of clinical and non-clinical teams to understand and address social determinants within their scope of work.

Case Management Systems and Patient Advocacy

Oversees systems that support patient-level identification, referral and follow-up for social medicine services.
Strengthens case management approaches to ensure patients can navigate health and social systems and overcome barriers to care.
Ensures effective use of data systems (including EMR and community tracking platforms) to identify vulnerable patients and support follow-up.
Promotes patient-centered approaches that uphold dignity, equity and responsiveness to individual needs.

Stakeholder Engagement, Partnerships and Community Systems Coordination

Leads engagement and collaboration with government institutions (MoH, Social Welfare, District Council) to align APZU’s work with national social protection and health policies.
Builds and maintain partnerships with NGOs, community-based organizations and private sector actors to expand access to social and economic support for patients
Represents APZU in district and national multi-sectoral platforms (e.g., nutrition, social protection, food security, disaster response).
Contributes to policy dialogue and advocacy to advance integration of social medicine into health systems in Malawi.

Data, Research and Learning

Establishes and oversees monitoring and evaluation systems that measure the impact of social support interventions on patient outcomes.
Uses data to inform program improvements, resource allocation and strategic decision-making.
Leads or supports operational research and quality improvement initiatives to generate evidence on social medicine and integrated care.
Ensures high-quality reporting for internal and external stakeholders, including donors and government partners.

Resource Mobilization and Operational Oversight

Supports development of funding proposals and strategic investments for social medicine programming.
Oversees budget planning and utilization for social support interventions, ensuring alignment with program priorities and accountability standards.
Ensures operational systems (logistics, procurement, partnerships) support timely and effective delivery of social support services.

Team Leadership and Capacity Building

Provides supervision, mentorship and professional development for social medicine team.
Builds a high-performing team culture grounded in innovation, accountability, collaboration and commitment to serving vulnerable populations.
Strengthens institutional capacity for social medicine across APZU through training, mentorship and knowledge sharing.

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Public Health, Social Sciences or Global Health.
Master’s Degree in the above disciplines will be an added advantage.